A Rare Opportunity to Engage with Key Works in Japanese Art History

While staying in Europe and America, Mr. Kagami witnessed collectors energetically acquiring artworks by Japanese artists, and began his serious collection in the 1970s after an overseas assignment. Mr. Kagami focused on representative works by major artists such as Kumi Sugai, Toshimitsu Imai, Shusaku Arakawa, and Otto Natzke, as well as emerging artists who gained prominence in the 1980s, including Tadashi Kawamata and Kenji Yamakura. He became a pioneering collector in this field, continuously amassing numerous works of significant importance in Japanese art history.

Many of Mr. Kagami’s collection have been entrusted to and exhibited at the Gunma Museum of Art, and have also been featured in international exhibitions. This auction marks the first time a significant collection of post-war Japanese art, gathered by a Japanese collector, will be offered by a Western auction house, presenting a unique opportunity for many collectors to experience representative works from this era of Japanese art history.

The Kagami Kenzo Collection – Post-War Japanese Art Through the Eyes of a Collector, comprising works by 17 artists active from the 1950s to the 1980s, will showcase its highlight pieces during previews on the evenings of October 6 and 7, with all works on display from October 8 to 10, coinciding with London’s art fair, Frieze Week.

Christie’s, celebrating its 250th anniversary, was founded in London in 1766 by art dealer James Christie. For centuries since, it has continued to offer unparalleled beauty. In 2015, its turnover from auctions, private sales, and online auctions reached £4.8 billion ($7.4 billion), holding approximately 350 auctions annually across 80 categories including fine art, jewelry, watches, and decorative arts. It also handles private sales, with active transactions in contemporary art, Impressionist and modern paintings, Old Masters paintings, and jewelry.

With 54 offices in 32 cities worldwide, including Tokyo, Christie’s holds auctions in 12 locations globally, such as London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris, Geneva, Dubai, and Shanghai. It has taken early leadership in new markets including Russia, China, and the UAE, successfully holding auctions and previews in Beijing, Mumbai, and Dubai.